


Time Keeps Slipping

by ZodiacBiologist



Category: Glitch Techs (Cartoon)
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Future, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Future Fic, Glitch Techs - Freeform, Major Character Injury
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-11
Updated: 2020-04-11
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:14:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,167
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23590657
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZodiacBiologist/pseuds/ZodiacBiologist
Summary: From partners at work, to one another's player two, and even each other's prom date, it became clear to Five that no other woman could ever hope to take Miko's place.Five reflects on his life had changed since meeting Miko, both in good and bad ways.
Relationships: Miko Kubota/Hector Nieves
Comments: 7
Kudos: 97





	Time Keeps Slipping

**Author's Note:**

> TW: Mentions of violence and injury at one point. Not entirely graphic. 
> 
> Second, this can be read as a stand alone, but also sets up for a future AU that I may continue depending on feed back. Enjoy!
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing.

It's hard to tell what time it was as Hector Nieves, better known as Five these days, scrounged around the kitchen, squinting to read the labels on various food packages. 

The dimmed lights coupled with his stubbornness toward putting his glasses on made the task of making breakfast and packing a lunch rather difficult. It didn't bother Five much at all though; He loved this quiet time to himself, being extra careful so as not to wake Miko, who slept peacefully on the couch just beyond the kitchen. 

If Five stopped now to look at the girl, he would never finish their food on time. He couldn't help it though; Their conflicting work schedules didn't allot for much time together anymore, a long shift at Hinobi usually ended with Miko asleep on the couch while Five had fallen asleep in their bed several hours earlier. 

Sending her off to work each morning had become a certain hell for Five. Since their initial team up, the two had become partners in just about all senses of the word. The dynamic duo had become nearly inseparable after spending so much time together nabbing glitches and playing video games for hours on end after the work day was done. 

From partners at work, to one another's player two, and even each other's prom date, it became clear to Five that no other woman could ever hope to take Miko's place; And like most secrets Five had, he couldn't find it in himself to keep that one from Miko. 

He tried, he really did, but after the third hour of trying to avoid her, Miko had cornered him in the rechargeable battery aisle (no longer aisle 3, after the INCIDENT). 

"What's your problem, man? Are you mad? Stop being mad!" Miko pointed an accusing finger to his chest, the scowl she wore made Five want to dissolve into the floor. 

"I-I'm not mad, why would I-" Why had he stuttered like that?! It was only Miko! And it wasn't like he was hiding anything big from her that could ruin their friendship, like having the crush the size or Texas on her. Nothing to hide at all.

"Spill." Miko crossed her arms, taking half a step out of Five's personal space. 

"I love you." 

Yup. That's it. Hector Nieves found dead in the battery aisle. His life as he knew it was ove-

"Oh, thank God!" Miko exclaimed, all but throwing herself at the boy and wrapping her arms around him in one of her soul crushing hugs, "You wouldn't believe how long I've been waiting for you to say that!"

And before Five knew it, time had slipped again, as he watched his partner turned girlfriend move boxes into their shared apartment a few years later. 

It was perfect for a little while; He woke up every morning to his favorite girl, got to go to the job he loved with her, and return at the end of the night to make dinner while she made up theme songs to sing while she played video game in their living room. Life had become so perfect, in fact, that Five found himself in a pawn shop, picking out the perfect ring to add to his perfect life. 

He had tucked it away in his work uniform pocket, intending to surprise Miko once they left work for the night; what he didn't intend was for his perfect life to slip away from in with one misstep.

The glitch had been more difficult to take down than they thought, even with Mitch and his team arriving. Being surrounded by Glitch Techs made for one defensive glitch, a barrage of beams flying out in all directions. Dodging lasers was all part of the job, so the Glitch Techs had little problem staying out of harm's way...at least, that's what would have happened in a perfect world…

What no one considered was one of the beams bouncing off of the metal siding of a nearby building, not until Five's choked cry filled the air, his body crumpling to the ground in seconds. 

He awoke in the hospital sometime the next day with no recollection of the events of the night before. His body felt like Miko had finally crushed it with one of her hugs; Something he missed more and more these days. 

Miko had found the ring box once she was able to get Five onto his back. She had set the box on the night stand beside his hospital bed, fighting whatever remaining tears she had left to tell him she hadn't opened the box.

"Y-you wanted to t-tell me something...S-so I k-kept telling you to s-stay alive to a-ask me…" She tried to explain.

Five had reached for the box, finding that his arms were the only thing willing to work with him, "Y-you're my p-partner in everything e-else...how about life?"

For a moment, Five could pretend like the crushing pain in his body was from the hug Miko would have given him when she said yes; in the fleeting moment after, he accepted her holding his hand instead. 

That had already been a year ago and while he found himself retired from his favorite career at only twenty-three years old, Five found life throwing him another curve ball. 

His grandfather had gotten sick shortly after he regained his mobility. After that, running the food truck was just too much for him. And so, Five found himself working for his grandparents again, as if he had never left in the first place. 

Except, now he had to go about his day with a sense of dread, knowing his partner, his fiancee, was now running after glitches with no one to watch her back the way he had. 

At least she would have an amazing lunch to take with her, though.

"I'm going to be late!" The exclamation had pulled Five from his thoughts. Miko scrambled over the couch before bolting into the kitchen. Her kiss on his cheek felt more like a slap in the face as she grabbed her lunch box from the counter, shouting an 'I love you' as she raced to the door. 

Five couldn't help the grin that spread across his face as he turned to put breakfast away. If Miko was about to be late, it meant that it was about time to go open up the food truck and, if Five was lucky, watch a few early glitches scamper through town.  
_________________________________

The lunch rush had just calmed down when Five's phone rang. He didn't bother checking to see who it was as he answered.

"Talk to me, Bergy."

"IT'S MIKO, she- DON'T TOUCH IT!"

"Intel on a new glitch?" Five asked, reaching to close the front of the food truck, then activating his updated gauntlet. 

"TELL YOUR FIANCEE TO STOP TRYING TO BEFRIEND IT!"

It may not have been actual field work, but it was something and it was perfect to Five.


End file.
